Avenging revenge porn.

• Author: Greenberg, Pare
• Position: TRENDS & TRANSITIONS

It's not unusual for young romantic couples to send intimate photos or risque "selfies" to each other via the phone or Internet. Unfortunately, when the relationship sours, those photos provide the spurned partner a new and especially cruel way to take revenge. Too often, those sexually explicit photos end up on porn websites, along with the subject's name, address and links to social media profiles. Revenge pore websites started popping up in 2011. Most allow anyone to upload the photos or videos directly, and some charge the victim a fee to remove them.

Most states have laws prohibiting taking sexually explicit photographs without the subject's knowledge or consent. Very few laws, however, address revenge pore. In 2004, New Jersey passed the first law to prohibit selling, publishing, distributing or disclosing a nude photograph, videotape or other image of another person without his or her consent. State lawmakers are trying to provide additional recourse for victims. California last year enacted a bill criminalizing distribution of revenge porn if it causes the victim serious emotional distress.

Legislators in at least 14 other states have introduced revenge pore bills so far this year. Almost all the bills would criminalize revenge pore, with about half setting the crime as a felony and half as a misdemeanor. Several increase...